THE DEMOCRAT. 1 hare aworn upon tho Altar of God, eternal hostility to every form of Tyranny over, the, Mlud of Man.'! Thomas Jefferson P1UNTE1) AND PUBLISHED BY II. WEBB. Volume VS. BLOOMSBURG, COLUMBIA COUNTY, PA. SATURDAY, MARCH, 11 1843. il'umber 46. ases i" OFFICE OF THE; DEMOCRAT OrrosiTB Sr. Paul's Cuimcii, MaiS-st ic The COL UMBM DEMOCRJ1 Twill be published every Saturday morning', at , TWO DOLLAR'S per annum payable j,aif yearly in advanceior Two Dollars Wll Ccnls' if not paid within the year. No subscription will betaken for a shorter period than 3ix months,; nor any jliscon tiriuancd permitted, until all arrearages, are discharged. ADVERTISEMENTSnot exceeding a square will-be conspicuously inserted at One, Dollar, for the first three insertions, ' and Tiventtj-five cents for every subsc. ' ' "qitcrit. nscrtlon. CT-i liberal discount ''made to those who advertise by Hie year. LETTERS addressed on business, must be post paid. LEGEND OF THE BELL KOCK. BY CAPTAIN MAMUT, K. N. There was a 'grand procession through the streets of.lhe towns of Perth and of Dundee. , T.he holy, abbots, in monks chained, thq censers were .swung, flag and banners ere carried by seamen, light edtapersby penitents St. St. Antonia, the patios of those who trust to the stormy ocean, was, carried in al pomp through the streets, and as .the .pocession passed, dins .of various value .were thrown down, by jhpsp:wijo watched, it from, the Windows, which as fast as thrown, were collected by little boys dressed as angels, who held, silver vessels to receive the largesses. Dur jng the whole day did tne pageant con 'tinue, and large was the treasure collected ,'jn tjie two town,, Every one gave freelj , for there were. few, indeed none, wliO) if not in I'Veir own circle, at leist among their ac quaintances, but hid to deplore the loss of' some one, deaf-to .them, or to those wliom jlioy .visited, from the dangerous rock.whieh Jay in the very track of all the vessels entcrjng the Frith of, Tay. These processions had been arranged, in order that a sufficient sum of money might be collected to enable the authorities t(i pill in execution a plan proposed by an adventurous and bold young seaman; in a council held for, the purpose, of fixing a bell on the rock; which' should be so ar ranged thal the slightest breath of wind would cause, the hammer of it to vibrate, anl thus, by its rolling, warn the mariner of' his danger. The money received was morethan sufficient for the purpose. A meeting was then held, and it was unani mously agreed thal'Aiidrew M'Clise shoujd b"e harmed with the commission to go over to Amsterdam, am! purchase the bell of a metchanls reading there, who, as Andrew staled, had one in ,his ppfsessinn, which, from its fine lute and i,ize, was exactly calculated for the service to which it was to he annronrinteil. Andrew, UM' Clise .embarked with the money, and made. .a prosperous voyage. He Ijad often been at-Amstcrdam, and had liyed with (hq merchant, whose name was Vandcrmacljn, and the attention to his af. fairs, the dexterity, and the rapidity of the movements of Andrew M'Clise, had often eljcited .the warmest lencmninms Horn IMvnheer Vandv rmt":lin;,and many even- ings had Andrew M'Clise passed with him, drinking in moderation their favorite scliee -dam? arid'iotiulging i' the meditative mecr shaum. Vandermaclin has often wished that he possesed a son like Andrew M 'Clise, to whom ho could leave his propei ty, with the full assurance that at would not ibe scattered, but greatly increased. VandermacTin was a widower, he had but one daughter, who was.now just arrived at grunge, to ittutn from the pension to iet Sfaher'thoBsc, and like upon herself the do mestic duties. M'Clise had never yet seen Hie beautiful Ivaterina, And so,' Mynheer M'Clise,' said Varf 3trm'ucllii,who wa silting in the ware. .inue'oulilio'grouiid floor of his tenement, you, eairte'to purchase the famous bell of Uttedhtf with - tho intention of fixing' it upon the rock, the danger of which we have so often talked over after the work of the day has been done? I, too, have' suffered' from that same rock, as you well know; but stilt I have been fortunate. The price will bo heavy: and so il ought to be, for the bell itself is of no small weight.' We are prepared to pay it, Mynheer Vandermnrliu." 'Nevertheless, in so good ft cause, and for so good a purpose, you ahull not be overcharged- I will say nothing of the beaut) of the Worksmanship. You shall pay but for its value as metal ihc same price which the Jew Isaacs offered mo for it bill fdur monls ago. I will not ask what a Jew would ask but what a Jew would give, which makes no small difference. Have you ten thousand guilders?' I have, and more.' 'That is my price, Mynheer M'Clise, and I wish lot no more, for I, ton, will contribute my share' lo the good work. Are you'eontent, mid i6 it a bargain?' 'It is; nr. ' the holy abbots will thank you on vellum, Mynheer Vdiidermacliu,for yon'r'gcnprosky.l' ' 'I prefer the thanks of the bold seamen to those oTllic idle churchmen, but never mind, it a bargain. Now, well go in, it is lime to close the doots. We will take our p'pes, and you shall make the nc qtininlarice of my fair .daughter, Kalerina.' At the time of which we are s peaking, M'Clise wes about' six and twenty years of age; he was above the middle size, ele-g-.nl in poison, and with ra frankness and almost a nobility in. his countenance, which won all who saw him. 'His inminers weie like those of most seamen, hold, but not offensively so.. His eye was pireroing as an eagle's and il scetnpd as if his very soul spoke from it. At the "ery firsi meeting between liiin & ihe daughter of Va'nderinaclin, appeared to both us if their destinies were to unite them. They loved not as others love, but with an intensity it would be impossible to por tray: but they hardly exchanged a word. Again and i-.gain they met; their eye poke, hut nothing more: The bell was put on board tho vessel, the money had been paid down, and M'Clise could no longer delay. lis frit as if his heart strings were severed, as he tors himself away from the laud where all remained- that he coveted upon earth. And Katerian, she too fell as if her existence was a blank. As the vessel sailed from the port, she breathed shoit; and, when not eren her white and lofty top-gallant sail rould be discerned as a speck', she threw herself upon hrr couch and wept. M'Clise, as' he sailed away, remained for hours leaning his cheek on his hand, thinking of, ag;dn and ugain, every lineament and feature of Ihe peerless Kalerina. Two months passed away, during which M'Clise, was busied every ebb of ihe tide in suppei intending the work on the rock. At last all was ready, and once more was to be held a gay procession; but this time il was on ihe wat er. 1: was on a ralmnand lovelv summer's morn, that ihe abbots and the monks, altenied by a large company of tho authorities, started from the shore of Abcrhrolhwit-k in n long line of boats, de coiated with sacred banners, and with, other various Hags and devices. The music floated along the waler, and ihe sol emirchanis of the monks wete, for mice; heard, where never yet they had been lis tened lo before, or eyer will again. M' Clise was at the rock, in a small vessel purposely contracted to carry the be)l, and with sheers to hang it on tho suppoijs im bedded in the solid rock. Tho bell wan in it? place, and thci sllot blessed the hell; while holy water was sprinkled on tjie metal, which was, for ihe. future, tu bo allied by the waves of ihe sail sea. The music and the chants were renewed, as lliey contimi' ed, the wind gridually rose, and, wilti the rising of the wind, ilio bell lolled loud spd deep. The tolling of tho bell was the signal for raturo, fox it was a ataming that that the weather was about to change, and the procession pulled back to Aherbrolh Wick and landed in good time; for, in one nour morn, and lite rocky coast was again lashed by the waves, nnd the bell tolled loud and quick, although there was nothing near il but the sea gull that scream with fright as he wheeled in the air, at this unusual noise upon the rock, which at the ebb, lie had so often made his reeling place. M'Clise had done his work; the bell was fixed, and .once mora he hastened with his vessel to Amsterdam. Once more he was an inmate of Vandermaclin's house, once more in the presence, of the idol of his soul. This lime they spoke; this time their vows were exchanged for life and death, llul Vandermaclin saw not the slate of their hearls. lie looked upon the young sea man as one too low, top poor, to be, a match for hia daughter; so ho never imagined that he would have dared to love her. Bui he was sooh undeceived; for M'Clise frank ly slated his attachment, and demanded tlie hand of Malerina, and, at the demand, Vandermaclin's face was flushed with an- 'Mynheer M'Clise, said he, alter a pause, as if to control his feelings: when n man marries, he is bound to show that l)e has where wilhal'to support his wife to support her in thai rank,, and to afford her those luxuries, to wiucli sue has been ac customed in her father's house. Show me that you ran, do so, and I will not re. fuse you the hand of Kalerina. 'As yet, I have il not,' replied M'Clise; 'bill I am v.oung, and .can work; I have money and I wil gain more. Te ,m what sum do, you think that , I. should pns scss. to warrant my demanding' ihe handof your daughter.' 'Produce twelve thousand guildm and she is yours,' replied the merchant. 'I hate but three thousand,' replied M'Clise. 'Then, think no more of Kalerina. It is a funlish passion, .and you must forget it. And, Mynheer M'Clise, I must no have my daughter's affections tampered with. She must forget joii; anil that can only be effected by your not meeting her again. I wish you well, Mynheer M'Clise Uut 1 must lequesl jour absence.' M'Clise departed from the presence of the merchant, bowed down with grief and disapointment. He contrived that a letter containing the result of his application, should be put in iho hands of Kalerina. Um Vandcrmaclin was in formed, of this and Kalerina was sent to convent, there to re main until the departure of her lover, and Vandermaclin wrote to this correspondent at Dundee, requesting that the goods for warded to him might not, in future, he sent by the vessel commanded by M' Clise. Of this stir young captain received in formation. All hope was nearly gone, still he lingered, and delayed his departure. He was no longer tho active, energetic seamen, he neglected all, even his attire. M'Clise knew in which convent his fair Kalerina was iininured; and often would he walk round its precincts, with tho hope of seeing her, if it were but for a moment, but in vain. His vessel was now laden, and he co'dd no longer delay. He was lo sail the next morntng;and once mnredid the un happy young man take his usual walk In look at those writs which contained all that was dear to him. His reverie was biokeu by a stone falling at his feet, he took it up; there was a small piece of paper attached to il with a silken llutad. He opened it; in the handwriting of Kalerina he found but these I wo ominous words 'The Bell.' The bell! M'CIUft started, for he im inediatcly comprehended what was meant, i'hu whole plan csino like electricity through U brains. The bell was worth ten thousand guilders; that was the' sum oiTeied, and would now be given by Isaacs the Jew, He would be happy with his Kalerina, and he, blessed Iter ingeuuiiy fox devjsiog tb means, For ruinate or two tie was transported, but the reaction, soon took place What was he about lo attempt? Sacrilege a treason against humanity. The bell had been blessed by the holy church, il had been purchased by holy and devout alms. It had been placed on the rock to save tho lives of his brother seamen; and were lie to remove it, would he not be responsible for all the lives lost? Would not the wnil of the widow, and the moan of the orphan, be crying out (0 Heav en againsl himl No, no! never! The crime was too hornhleand M Clise stamp ed upon the paper, thinking that ho was temped by Satan in the shape of a Woman, but when woman tempts man Is lost. He recalled ihe charms of Kalerina, all his re pugance was overcome, he fcsolved that the' deed should be accomplished, and that Katctina sho old be gained, even if he lust his own soul. Andrew M'Clise sailed foim Amslerdam and K-.terina recovered her libeity. Van dcrmaclin was anxio us that she should uarry; and many were the unsuccessful suitors for her hand. She reminded litr father, that 'ho had pledged himstlf, it .M'Clise. counted down tuelve thousand guilders, thai she should be tils wife; and to that pledge she insisted he was' bound fast. And Vandetmaelin, after "reasoning with ami poititiiig out to her iha,t twelve: thousand guilders was a, sum, so, large, .that M'Clise .might. not procure it until Ins old' age, even if he were fortunate, acknowl edged that sucl: was lia promise, .and that he would, like an honest man, abide .by il, provided that M'Clise should fulfil his pari of the agreement in llio space of two ycaisi after which lie should delay her settlement no longer. Ivaterina raised her eyes to Heaven, -and whispered, as she clasped her 'hantls, 'The IJell.' Alas! that we' should invoke Heaven when we would wish to dj wrong; but mortab aie blind, and none jio blind as those who are impelled, by pas sion. It was in the summer of that year that M'Clise made his arrangements; having procured the assistance of some tawles , , . i. .i i . . lauus, ue uau mitcii ine auvaniage oi a smooth and glassy sea and a high tide, lo emove ilio bell lo his own vessel; a work of liule difficulty to him, ns he had placed ii there, and knew well the manner of the fastenings. He sailed away fur Amster ildiu and was permitted by Heaven to arrive safely with his sacrilegious freight He did nut, as b'efore, enter the canal op posilo to ihe house of Vandermaclin, but one that ran behind the habitation of ihe Jew Isaacs. At night, he went into the house, and reported to the Jew what lie had for sale; and ihe keen gray eyes of the bent double little Israelite sparkled with delight, for he knew that his profit would be great. At midnight the bell was made fast to the crane, and safely deposited in the waiehoilse of the Jew, who counted out the ten thousand guilders to the enrap tured JSl'Clise, whose thoughts were wholly upon the possession of tiis Kateii na, and not upon the crime ha had com mitted. But, alas ! to conceal one crime, we too often come lo be guilty of many of a deeper line; and thus il was with AiuIrew-M'Cliie The people who had assisted htm, upon the promise of a thousand guilders being divided among them, ,iow murmured at their share, and insisted upon an equal di vision of the spoils, or threatened an im mediate confesf ion of tho black deed. M'Clise raved, and cursed; and tore his hair, and promised to give tho n the mo ney as soon as lie had wedded Katetina; but they would not coiiieul. Again the devil came to (lis assistance, and whisper ed how he was to act: He yielded to their demand. The next night the division was 10 be made. I hey met n his cabin; lie gave them witie, and they drank plen tifully; hut the jwine was poisoned, and lliey all died before the morning, M'Clise lied weights to their bodies, and tank- them in tho deep, canal, and broke open his batches, to raak it appear that bji vtiwel had been plundered. He then went to the! authorities, denouncing lliscfctv. as having1 robbed him and escaped. Immediate search was made, but lliey Were not (o .1(0 found and it Wu9 supposed that, lliey had made off in n boat, Once mora M'Clise, whose' conscience was seaied. went to the house of Vander maclin, counted down ten thousand 'guild ers and claimed his bride; and Vander maclin, v!u fell that his daughter's happi ness was at slakci now gnvo his consent. As M'Clise staled that lie was anxious to return to England, and arrange with tho merchants whose goud had been plunder ed, in, a few days their marriage (ook place' and Kalerina clasped the murderer in her1 arms. Alt was "apparent joy and revolrvl but, there was anguish iu Ittie heart of Clise, who,, now that he had gained his ob ject, fell that it had cost him lob much, fof his peace of mind was gone (at ever, jtiul Kalerina cared not; every spark of feeling was absorbed in tier passion, and, the very guilt of M'Clise. but rendered him mora dearjfor was il nof for her that he had dono all this? ' M'Clise received her portion, and hastened to sail away; fur the bodies were still in ihe canal, and he trembled every hnuidcstJiis crime should be discovered. When Vandermaclin bade farewell lo hi daughter: lie' knew not why, but there waa a feeling he could not suppress, that they never, should meet again.. r Down down below, Kalerina; thlsiS no place for'you.'cried MClise.as he stood at the helm of ihe vessel. - 'Down, deaietlf down, or, you will be washed overboard. Every sea threatens' lo pour into our decks; already have we, lust tw men. Duwa' Kalerina J down I tell you.' 'I fear not; let roe remain with yon.' 'I tell you downcried M'Clise in wrath Kalerina cast upon Jiira a reproachful look, and obeyed. The storm was at its height; the sun had set; black and monstrous billows chased each other and the dismasted vessel was hurled on lowaid the land.- The wind howled, and whistled shaipiy through each chink in the bulwaiks of the vessel. For three days had lliey fought with the gate, but in vain. Now, if it continued, all ulianco was over, for the slime was on their lee, distant not many miles. Nothing could save them, but gaining the mouth of the Frith of Tay, which would enable them to bear up for Dutideo. There was a boiling surge, a dark night, warring seas, and their masts were, floating far away. M'Cliie stood at the )tem, keep ing the vessel broadside to the sea; his heart was full of bitterness, for his guilty conscience bore l)im down, and lie lopked fur death, yet lie dreaded it; for was he not a sacrilegious murderer, and is there not an avenging God above? Once more Kalerina appeared on deck, clinging for support to Andrew. 'I cannot stay below. Tell me, will it soon be oveil' Yes,' replied M'Clise, gloomily; 'it will soon be over with all of us How mean you? You told me thero was no danger,' ' I, told you falsely. There is death soon. and damnation afterwards fur you I hato lost my soul !' Oh tay nut sol' I say it. Leave me woman, leavo me or I curse thee." Curse me, Andrew? Olmo! Kits ma Andrew; and if we are to perish, let us ex pire in each, other's arms;' ''Tis as well; you haw dragged me to perdition. Leave me, I say, for you have my bitter curse.' Thus was his fniltv Invn tnrned tn linir. D 4 now thai death was stiemgjiint in tits face. Katr-una maie ho reply, She threw ..it-... .i i i. . . ' . . . , . iiciirit mi mo ucc.t, ar.u aD.iiiiMtiru ucr.ulf to her feeling of bitter anguish. And at she Uv there, and M'Clis) stood at tho (liein, the rain abated, tho V8si:j was r loi2er borne down as tofbre, &Uhoogct th 31 . 8 i r.'i 6 n I t 2' it 1 i t
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers